Eastern barred bandicoot

Perameles gunnii

Blamed on cats

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

EPBC Threat Rating: Very high

IUCN Claim: “Eastern Barred Bandicoots probably disappeared from the mainland due to introduced predators and habitat destruction from introduced herbivores. Predation from red foxes is thought to have been particularly detrimental, and the recent introduction of foxes to Tasmania could pose a major threat to the species here. ’”

Studies in support

Cats hunt locally-born bandicoots (Lenghaus et al. 1990; Dufty 1994; Schwarz 1995; Woolley et al. 2019) and reintroduced bandicoots (Lenghaus et al. 1990; Winnard & Coulson 2008; Groenewegen et al. 2017).

Studies not in support

Bandicoots have co-occurred with cats on Tasmania since 1820 and on the mainland for 167 years (Wallach et al. 202X).

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

There are no studies liking cats with eastern barred bandicoot populations. In contradiction with the claim, the two species continue to co-occur in Tasmania after over two centuries and they co-occurred on the mainland for over a century-and-a-half.

Evidence linking Perameles gunnii to cats. A. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Perameles gunnii and cats. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that cats contribute to the decline of Perameles gunnii, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. B. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of cats. Error bars show record uncertainty range. Predator arrival records were digitized from Abbott 2008.
Evidence linking Perameles gunnii to cats. A. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Perameles gunnii and cats. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that cats contribute to the decline of Perameles gunnii, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. B. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of cats. Error bars show record uncertainty range. Predator arrival records were digitized from Abbott 2008.

References

Abbott, The spread of the cat, Felis catus, in Australia: re-examination of the current conceptual model with additional information. Conservation Science Western Australia 7 (2008).

Dufty, Anthony C. “Population demography of the eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii) at Hamilton, Victoria.” Wildlife Research 21.4 (1994): 445-457

Groenewegen, Rebecca, et al. “Assisted colonisation trial of the eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii) to a fox-free island.” Wildlife Research 44.7 (2017): 484-496.

Lenghaus, Cornelis, David L. Obendorf, and Frank H. Wright. “Veterinary aspects of Perameles gunnii biology with special reference to species conservation.” Management and Conservation of Small Populations. Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield, Illinois (1990): 89-108.

Schwarz E. 1995. Habitat use in a population of mainland Tasmanian feral cats, Felis catus. Grad.Dip. (Hons.) thesis. University of Tasmania, Hobart.

Wallach et al. 2023 In Submission

Winnard, Amy L., and Graeme Coulson. “Sixteen years of Eastern Barred Bandicoot Perameles gunnii reintroductions in Victoria: a review.” Pacific Conservation Biology 14.1 (2008): 34-53.

Woolley, Leigh‐Ann, et al. “Introduced cats Felis catus eating a continental fauna: inventory and traits of Australian mammal species killed.” Mammal Review 49.4 (2019): 354-368